We lived a mostly vanilla life for the two years after we left Norfolk. Our house was leased by the Commanding Officer of a Cruiser for the next three years and during the next decade after that several other officers rented the place thanks to Renee’s contacts she made in her last job.
I left my ship with a heavy heart, I was going to miss that gal and would never be on a Kidd Class Destroyer again. I couldn’t even look back as I hopped on my bike with my seabag tied down behind me and headed south to get back with Reneé. We hadn’t seen each other in three months.
She found us a nice three bedroom cottage across the street from the ocean in Fernandina Beach. It was almost halfway between our bases, we had a half hour drive each. I had to take the Mayport Ferry every day to work, it was all four lane highway for her.
She gave me the lowdown on what was going on at the Sub Base. It seemed there was a huge swinger scene both on and off the base. We didn’t get involved for a few reasons, mainly because some people talked openly about what went on. It wasn’t really a secret.